Adamantine
by strongasdiamond
Summary: Rewrite of Fate Had It. "The New Era of Shinobi has begun and it seems like I was signed up for the ride. Boruto's time doesn't seem even half as bad as Naruto's, but when your parents happen to be Uzumaki Karin and Hozuki Suigetsu, Sasuke's crazy former teammates...you ought to be a little concerned." SI-OC insert
1. Chapter 1

_"Death fractured my porcelain skin so I could become adamantine."_

adamantine (/ˌadəˈmantʌɪn/)

adjective

1\. refers to any especially hard substance, whether composed of diamond, some other gemstone, or some type of metal.

2\. unable to be broken

* * *

People don't fear death, not really. They fear the aftermath (where do I go from here? will it be painful?). So, it's from that fear, that religion was born. Priests would defend themselves by saying religion is love. False. You can't love something that you fear or fear something that you love. If you do, then it isn't love, or it isn't fear. It can't be both. However, the human mind is restless so it has never really stopped searching for answers. Gods, science, and the list could go on. Centuries made people forget that the most important things don't have behind a difficult algorithm or a divine being that "is too complex for us to understand". No, the most important things are simple, simple enough to be overlooked. Look around you and tell me what you see. Flowers die before the arrival of winter, only to reborn in spring. For a star to appear, another must explode. When animals die in a forest, their remains come back to the earth and the earth creates substance for other animals, younger, more in need, to feed on. It's a cycle. Life and Death, Death and Life. One can't be without the other so it's stupid to separate them, to draw a line when they are so closely connected.

Would you believe me if I told you I died with a smile on my face? Even better, that my rebirth was nothing short of traumatic? I cried. A lot. Most babies do but I took the cake. I cried so much that I had my parents running from one medic to another. Their answer? "Nothing is wrong with her". Whoa, rewind. Stop right there. Everything was wrong. From my food options to the hours of sleep I suddenly needed. I stopped once, though not for long. Seeing a ninja headband that didn't look like it was bought from Amazon had been a powerful memory trigger. Thus, I cried again, harder than ever and anatomy was no longer the cause.

The first few years of my life had been hell for reasons I'd rather not think about. Sadly, for me, that's borderline impossible since I'm forced to share space with two of these reasons.

"I'm not naming my daughter after the ocean Suigetsu! Get that through your thick skull!"

"Last time I checked, she was our daughter Karin. It takes two people to do it and what's wrong with the name Umi?"

"Were you the one to carry her and spend five hours in labour?"

I would have liked telling you the opposite, that no, I'm not a nameless four-year-old. Alas, I can't because it's true. The New Era of Shinobi has begun and it seems I got signed up for the ride. Boruto's time doesn't seem even half as bad as Naruto's, but when your parents happen to be Uzumaki Karin and Hozuki Suigetsu, Sasuke's crazy former teammates...you ought to be at least a little concerned. A little, was me putting it lightly. To tell the truth, I was mortified.

Suigetsu's lack of response breaks through my musings. I've gotten so used to their yelling that the absence of sound, for me at least, was now as loud as the presence of it. My eyes flicker between the two of them and I know today's argument had run its course. Whenever Karin pulls the 'nine months plus labour' card, he mumbles something under his breath, out of her hearing range and then - silence.

I eavesdrop on them often, often enough that I'm able to predict what they are going to do next. A while ago, I discovered how to hide my chakra, thus I'm no longer worried that they'd find out. My father isn't good at sensing people and my mother, since I had inherited her abilities and some part of her chakra, can't hope to sense me unless I let her. Which I don't, obviously. She is responsible for what I eat and I care about my food.

Normally, I'd let their argument slide and go on with my life but if I don't get involved... I'll turn forty and they will still be arguing about names.

"Kaa-san, tou-san?" I call, doing my best to look like the innocent four-year-old they think I am.

"Yes, Momo/Umi?" they turn to face me smiling. I know that they want nothing more than to strangle each other though.

"I was thinking..." I begin, tapping my chin as to imitate adults and earn more points for sweetness.

"Yes dear?" Karin asks patiently while Suigetsu silently encouraged me to go on.

I hesitate for effect.

"Can I choose my own name?" Silence succeeded my demand. Seriously, I would have laughed if I didn't have a mask to maintain. The two stared at each other which honestly made me resemble a freaking third wheel. Suigetsu and Karin are far from the word 'sane' while I can't be referred as anything but a disaster-in-the-making. So, at first glance, they might not seem like it but I know they are in love with each other.

"What did you have in mind, little warrior?" Dad wonders, picking me up in his arms.

"I like the name Seina." I declare in my proudest voice, hoping they'd agree.

They look thoughtful for a moment before their faces break into matching grins. It's scary...because I think my face mirrors their own.

"It's a very pretty name. I agree." Karin says, pressing a gentle kiss onto my forehead while Suigetsu nods along. "I don't see why not. Do you know what it means?"

 _Oh right._ To tell the truth, I have no idea. I am still learning Japanese and it's kind of a slow process.

"Seina means holy child."

The irony didn't fail on me. I had chosen the one thing that I wasn't as my name: holy. Come on, is there such a thing as a holy person? I wanted to open my mouth and say I changed my mind but I kept it shut when I saw the look on their faces. Karin and Suigetsu believed I was the light, the purity that somehow managed to come out from their darkness and sins.

I didn't want to burst their bubble so I nodded along.

 _Hozuki Seina, my new self._

* * *

From the moment you are born, your family starts teaching you all sorts of things. 'don't lie' 'always ask before you take something' 'be polite', etc. They establish a set of rules which all sound like this 'don't do that' or 'do this'. Since a young age, you are shoved down a path and are expected to confirm. Ninja though, now ninja do things a lot more differently _and for a good reason._ They teach by example and regardless of how brutal those examples might be, they open eyes. Suddenly you have no other choice but to face reality and reality is far from pink.

 _Kill or be killed._ It all comes down to that. It's the opposite of the civilian mindset. Lie, steal, become the lowest of the low if you must but complete the mission. Don't hesitate, never hesitate. Society, the one I was born into, liked hiding their trash. The ninja world I'm now living in encourages you to stare death in the face, to recognise your fears and your weaknesses and all your fucked-up agenda. Why? So, you'd learn to overcome them, live with them. Knowledge is power. How many had lost themselves and their lives because they refused to acknowledge their ugly parts, the world's dark side? Ignorance is a foreign concept among ninja.

Among the smart ones, anyway.

Boruto's Era is brighter...in a sense. People believe in Uzumaki Naruto, in the world he had built. However, what happens after he is gone? The man is a powerhouse, almost a God. Ninja from all over saw that years ago thus know going up against him would be suicide. The other Kage are on good terms with each other but that's now. Who can guarantee the bond between nations will endure after they die? Peace is fragile and conflict is so deep rooted in our nature that it's hard to believe war won't break out again. Boruto's Era promises light but no one can deny how four shinobi wars had left their mark on the psyche. As such, the first lesson remains. More so for me, whose origins go back to the Land of Whirlpools and the Hidden Village in the Mist and whose birthland is Orochimaru's former playground: _The Hidden Sound._

To sum it up briefly, I was doomed from the start but enough complaining. All the curses in the world won't change my long-term predicament, why would crying and pleading do?

I lean backwards against a tree, breathing heavily. My last attempt ensured I'd have little energy left for trying again. I bite back a growl of frustration and stare at my hands like they wronged me greatly. I had begun my training early. At first, there were subtle stuff. Heavier toys for muscle building, complex puzzles for a sharp brain, the usual play sessions of hide and seek to absorb the basics of stealth, etc.

One month ago, things got far more interesting and a touch heavier. Suigetsu had given me a chakra paper. Much to his delight, the paper got wet. He didn't stop bragging for a week. I say a week because Karin told him he'd be sleeping on the couch if he doesn't shut-up. Otherwise, I'm confident his vocal display of excitement would have lasted longer than that. I understood his motives which is why I asked him to teach me. In a way, I brought the exhaustion upon myself. Water is tougher to master than I had initially thought. Thus, here I am, a paradox. Granted my Uzumaki genes, the amount of chakra I have is pretty impressive for a six-year-old. Unfortunately, out of the five elements, dad's affinity requires the most finesse.

Finesse I don't possess. Well, at least not yet. It's troublesome but if the anime taught me something, is how hard work pays off in the end. I hope. Otherwise I soaked several clothes and lost sleep for nothing.

"Dinner is ready Seina-chan!" Karin calls as she comes to sit down beside me. I imagine I look like the prime example of an upset kid because she narrows her eyebrows, concerned. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." I mumble, trying, and failing to seem convincing. My rebirth was and still is, difficult. I struggled, every day, to do even the simplest stuff. I had to re-learn talking, walking, sitting down, even going to the toilet. And that's not even the worst part. I probably wouldn't feel so miserable if I had someone, anyone to talk to and no, my family isn't an option. I don't feel like being labelled as insane yet.

"That didn't sound like nothing to me." Karin replies. Her fingers brush my hair and for a moment, everything is silent. Then a triumphant and quiet 'aha' sound escapes her lips. She sighs. "You are upset because you didn't master the jutsu."

 _Bullseye. Sharp as ever._

"I don't want to disappoint dad or you."

"Disappoint us? Never. I am proud of you and so is Suigetsu." Karin seems sure of what she is telling but still...

"How do you know tou-san isn't upset? It's been a month already and I can't do it."

She smiles at me warmly and brushes my hair again. "Because I know him and I also know you. Even if it takes another month or a year, you will succeed. You have my spirit after all, Seina."

If you have never seen my mother smile, then let me tell you something. Her smile is contagious and if you look closely, it matches Kushina's and Naruto's in that aspect. Well, I suppose they are distant relatives and just like the brooding is found in most Uchiha, the bright smile is found in most Uzumaki. In the ones still left, anyway. I nod slowly and wrap my arms around her, not knowing how to respond. I have rarely had so much trust and faith placed in me. Most people didn't bother in my past life with that sort of things. Thus, I resigned myself to believing I wasn't worth any.

"Karin?" Suigetsu yells.

"Yes Anata?"

"Our dinner is burning..."

Her eyes widen, she curses, then her eyes widen yet again upon realizing she had done so in front of me. I suppress a smile.

"Kaa-san, the food." I remind her.

"Right." she murmurs to herself then runs back inside the house. I consider helping her but my grasp over water is still a gamble at best. Besides, they are both level-headed adults. Surely, they can handle a small...

"SUIGETSU!"

"Oh, come on sweetheart, don't give me that look. It was burning, I couldn't just..."

"EXCUSES. PETTY ONES. YOU JUST DROWNED MY KITCHEN."

"Our kitchen and Karin for fuck' sake you can't me make sleep on the couch..."

Never mind. Forget what I said. They are one of a kind.

* * *

Back in the real world, I often entertained the idea of multiple dimensions, time webs, worm holes and such theories. Time travel, especially, was tricky. It said the smallest change in the past could build or destroy the future _(those are extreme cases but you get the point)._ Had I been reborn in Naruto's Generation, hell, even Kakashi's or Tsunade's, I wouldn't be feeling lost because I know what happened and what things needed fixing. No doubt it would have been dangerous but as I said before, knowledge is power.

Right now? My knowledge is heavily limited. Go figures I'd be thrown in the middle of an unknown timeline. The manga had only two chapters prior to my death which brings me to my next question:

 _What the fuck am I supposed to do here?_

I already feel like I'm walking on egg shells. Never mind my current age. The world doesn't ask how old are you before it decides to get screwed over. Naruto and Sasuke are prime examples with the former having been a baby and the later just six years of age. The Kyuubi Attack and The Uchiha Massacre happened and I'm inclined to believe they couldn't have prevented those, no matter how mature their brains were. Naruto certainly not. Sasuke, maybe.

As for me, I'm aware I have two options: get as far away from the protagonist as possible (which should be easy considering the distance between Leaf and Sound) or number two, which is the opposite.

So, I casually bring up the subject of enrolling in the Academy during dinner. Karin and Suigetsu look pretty thrown-off, as if they thought this call was theirs to make. It wasn't, not really. I recognized their attempts at home-schooling, which I am thankful for but I can't become an official ninja without the approval of a hidden village.

"That's how you became a shinobi, by going there." I insist to get a reaction, something other than shock.

"Yes, I went to Kirigakure and your mother went to Grass." Suigetsu pauses, feigning ignorance. "Why are you asking little warrior?"

I look them right in the eyes and answer anyway.

"I want to become a ninja too."

Karin shares a meaningful look with Suigetsu across the table. "We...we will think about it, Seina-chan."

It's not a straight-out refusal but it's not an agreement either. Honestly, I don't understand their hesitation. I thought shinobi want their kids to follow in their footsteps... _oh_. Realisation hits me like a ton of bricks and guilt instantly follows. I should have known their past is still hovering over them like a shadow. The way Suigetsu cleans his swords as if there is still blood on them, long after you can see your reflection on the blade. The way Karin adverts her eyes when he dissolves into water, beating herself up over something she did when she worked for Orochimaru...

It's a long-lasting trauma they are experiencing and while it's understandable for them to want a different path for me, a brighter one, I should be allowed the freedom of choosing. Besides, like every child born to famous parents, I have a bounty on my head. One day someone from their past might hunt me down. When that time comes, I'd rather not resemble a sitting duck.

I want to be ready.

No more talk was done on the subject. That is, until my eighth birthday rolled around. I knew it as soon as I heard the words:

"Pack your things."

They were sending me away.

 **A/N: This first chapter is considerably longer than the former and contains aspects of chapter two. I wrote Fate Had It a year ago and my writing has significantly improved since then, hence the desire to do the story justice by rewriting it. Some things will stay the same while the rest is tabula rasa. Chapters will be longer but smaller in number, I suppose. I have one more massage for you.**

 **For the ones who have just begun reading: I recommend not reading the old version since it might produce confusion. Thank you for giving this a chance!**

 **For the ones who read the old and are curious about the new: I hope I will live up to your expectations and I thank you for giving this a second shot!**

 **For both parties: Updates will be done weekly (or quicker) since I waited to write a couple of chapters before posting the first one. All so you wouldn't have to wait for long. If you have any questions to ask, you can always leave a review or pm me even! I love interacting with you! I'm also open to suggestions.**

 **Happy Winter Holidays!**


	2. Chapter 2

_"Death fractured my porcelain skin so I could become adamantine."_

adamantine (/ˌadəˈmantʌɪn/)

adjective

1\. refers to any especially hard substance, whether composed of diamond, some other gemstone, or some type of metal.

2\. unable to be broken

* * *

Confession time:

I am a pretty stupid individual who should have known better than to jump to conclusions. My impulsive nature is also to blame but that's something I doubt I'd ever learn to control. Karin and Suigetsu told me to pack my stuff. Had I taken a moment to reflect and look at my surroundings, I would have, eventually, come to the right conclusion which was: They were not sending me away. In fact, they planned on coming with me. The sight of two backpacks and their serious facial expressions gradually morphing into smiles had been a wake-up call. We were leaving Sound and I could not be happier. I know what you must be thinking. 'But the village has changed!' and 'There is peace now!'

 _Bullshit._

The surface is nice and welcoming but I know better. It's still dangerous and creepy since Orochimaru's hideouts are all over the place, abandoned true but I still wouldn't step a foot in there if you paid me. Speaking of the Snake Sannin, if you had great discomfort at home as you watched him from behind a screen, I ask you to picture how I felt every time he paid us a visit. He got slightly better over the years but snakes should never be underestimated. It's in their nature to be sly and deceitful.

Point is, I won't become a Sound ninja, nor a Grass or a Mist one. Years ago, long before my birth, Karin got to experience how warm chakra feels like. Specifically, Naruto's. Aside from keeping you alive and helping you in battle, chakra means so much more than that. It mirrors your true self and for a sensor type like my mother, that's the ultimate proof of somebody's intentions. She is a great judge of character because of it. " _Chakra doesn't lie, Seina. People do."_ is what she told me once. As such, she insisted that if I am to become a ninja...let it be in the land where the world's hero was born. Suigetsu wasn't against it so, here I am, a few days later, marvelling at Konoha's greatness. It's not the Konoha I grew-up dreaming about or the one that shaped my childhood heroes into legendary warriors but it has peace and Naruto as Hokage.

Frankly, that's more than I hoped for.

Our new house is smaller than the former since it's located in the middle of the village close to the Nara clan. Not that I mind. All the space in the world wouldn't tone down the sound of my parents' quarrels, which I've gotten used to. Kind of. It still makes me want to bash their skulls against a wall but that's a thought for another time. Right now, my heartbeat trumps over any other noise. How could it not when the date marked on the calendar mocked me for an entire week? Today is The Academy Entrance Ceremony, aka the beginning of the end. An end I will sign up for. _How twisted is that?_ I shake my head and grip my forearms. This is it. There is no going back. I push all thoughts of fleeing to the back of my mind and tell myself this is the right decision. I was reborn for a reason. Whatever that reason may be, it must be connected to Boruto and his peers.

 _As disturbing of a thought that is._

I narrow my eyebrows in disbelief as the Hokage' son makes his entry. I don't know whether I should cry or laugh. Go figures he'd be a jester, much like his father had been. If he becomes even half the man Naruto is, I don't see the problem. After the scolding is over and so is the grand speech, after papers are signed and hands are shaken, we are ushered inside the building.

"Do your best Seina-chan!"

"And don't pull your punches, not even against the Hokage's son!"

"Suigetsu..."

"What? They will fight, you know they will. Kids do that all the time."

I giggle to myself at their antics and nod, waving goodbye.

 _Let the fun begin._

* * *

Outside from its training grounds, The Ninja Academy looks like any other school. _Normal._ I shudder at the word, convinced shinobi and normal don't belong in the same sentence. Anyway, imagine my surprise upon discovering who my teachers are. One of them is known for bugs and invisibility while the other for dango and mental instability. To tell you the truth, I don't know what unsettles me more. Shino's attempts at being sociable or Anko gaining weight and wrinkles. Nevertheless, they are both trying which is more than I can say for my classmates. They are a loud bunch and as if that wasn't bad enough, the class also mainly consists of clan heirs. Loud and arrogant is what they are.

 _Huh, I fit in better than I thought I would._

Joking aside, we give our teachers a rough time which is a statement for their patience. Or in Anko's case, _the amount of fucks she gives._ Which are few in number unless your bento box happens to contain dango. Fortunately, I don't speak from experience since eating sweets is not something I do often.

I peak a glance at my deskmate who is quiet as usual. Kakei Sumire has purple-coloured eyes and hair, the back of which is tied into long braided ponytails. Compared to the rest, she seems more level-headed though she is also meek and shy. Beats me why she chose to become a kunoichi. Anko and Shino named her Class Rep within a week from starting, probably glad they had a decent option to begin with.

"Today we discuss about the Fourth Shinobi World War."

"Even babies in their crib know that story." somebody snorts and the class erupts into fits of laughter. I feel kind of bad for Shino.

"Yeah dattebasa. What is there left to say?" Boruto asks and a few murmurs of agreement echo.

"Shut-up baka." Sasuke's and Sakura's only child retorts. "We attend the Academy for a reason."

"Well, I agree with him. Our parents have told us this story before."

"Not you too Chocho." Sarada laments.

"Mina-san, please pay attention." Sumire tries to amend the situation but to no avail whatsoever.

I sigh and cross my arms against my chest. "Do you know about the Kage Summit that took place before? How the Shinobi Nations had reached an understanding? Or how hard it was for people to let go of their grudges and leave behind decades of bad blood?"

Silence follows my questions, not that I expected a different reaction. "No?" I arch an eyebrow. "Then shut-up and listen. The day you know more than Shino-sensei, is the day you get to throw a tantrum. Though by the time you reach that level of intelligence you shouldn't feel the need to do that."

I'm a hypocrite. In my past life, I wasn't much better than them. In fact, I was most teachers' worst nightmare. Rude, hyperactive and more trouble than worth. I couldn't sit still or be quiet. Common sense...what's that? Respect? Where do I buy it from? I was a brat in every sense of the word, regardless of how hard my parents had tried to discipline me. And they did try, only to give-up after my sister was born. Their hope and expectations had passed on to her which gave me even more freedom to be the female equivalent of "a dick". As such, my personality was in dire need of adjustments. Adjustments which dying and a change of scenery had taken care of. Not to say nothing remained from my old self, plenty did. Mostly my short temper and impulsivity and maybe my lack of sanity. _(Between you and me, I don't think I ever was. Sane, that is but I'm getting ahead of myself)._

I elbow Sumire. "Be firmer next time. Using please makes it a request and requests can be denied." my lips curl upwards into a secretive smile. "A command though? That's different."

Her eyes widen in surprise before she nods and bows her head slightly. "Thank you, Hozuki-san."

I make a face at the mention of my family name. _And a bow, really?_ "Just Seina is fine, Class Rep."

Shino finally starts teaching and I spend my time hanging onto his every word. History becomes my favourite subject because it's easy to like something which you already know. Well, more or less. There is little effort I must put in this class.

The kunoichi classes and the math ones are my biggest headache.

Anko teaches us by throwing dango sticks in random directions. On the bright side, we have a theoretical subject taking place outside. However, it's hard to see the glass half full when you are asked to memorize how many sticks she has thrown in a span of thirty seconds, which isn't little, mind you.

"Most shinobi have about ten kunai and ten shuriken inside their pouch. I say most because that's how much one of these can contain. It's in your best interest to get used to counting flying weapons. Especially when the enemy is aiming for you." she pauses, eating another sweet. "Some, however, like having a second, or even a third pouch. One of Konoha's finest has multiple scrolls which are designed to hold up to one hundred different weapons and that's if you don't get on her bad side."

One kid rose his hand.

"So, we count them all?"

Anko came close to choking that day. "Kami no. If it's past ten, you better give-up the thought of waiting until they remain empty-handed. Good shinobi never do." she advices. "Always look out for poison. Even a single kunai, if it's done justice, could end you."

I take back what I said. Any class with Anko is worth sitting through. The woman is a genius. The kunoichi classes, on the other hand, are pretty much pointless. We are too young to be taught about seduction, that's reasonable but learning how to arrange flowers?

 _What am I even pursuing? A botanist's career?_

If that were the case, I wouldn't have minded but since learning about deadly plants is out of the question, I don't see the appeal. Another teacher teaches this class. Yuki-san looks like she had done her own share of ANBU missions in her prime. She has the looks and the wits and no doubt the necessary skills. Had I been less excited with becoming a frontline fighter, I would have tried my hardest to stick out like a sour thumb and get her to teach me her way of fighting. But since I look forward to flashy jutsu and taijutsu moves powerful enough to give you memory loss, I figured I should ask Sumire for help. The other girls rub me the wrong way. Mostly Sarada. If I can help it, I won't deal with her.

"Ano...you are really good at this." I say as I look down at the Class Representative's flower arrangement. Contraire to what you might think, I'm not a tomboy who hates girly things. I appreciate beauty when I see it and flowers represent that.

Sumire jumped a bit. "You startled me, Seina-san." she smiles shyly. "Thank you, I actually love doing those."

"Just Seina and I'm sorry." _Bad habits stick like glue._ I internally sigh, glancing from her bouquet to mine. "Maybe you could help me? I know how colours complement each other but their meaning? Not so much."

She claps her hands in delight. "Of course, I'd be happy to. It's why I'm Class Rep."

I frown a bit as I watch her get started onto my mine. "You can always refuse if you don't want to. Just because you are Class Rep, that doesn't mean people should take advantage of you."

She shakes her head, taking out a pink Rose and replacing it with a Hydrangea...I think? "I don't see it like that since I like helping but I thank you for your concern." she cuts a frail leaf off another flower before she speaks again. "This lesson is important. Sending a massage using the language of flowers is one of the safest ways since Konoha has the variety to back her up. Sunagakure's dry climate makes it difficult for flowers to grow, as does Iwagakure's land full of stone and Kumo's high territory. Kiri has the potential but rain represents an obstacle."

I open my mouth then close it, repeating the process a couple of times. "What if a man has to receive your massage? Only girls partake in this class."

Sumire stifles a giggle and raises an eyebrow at me. "What do you think Boruto-kun and the rest of the boys are doing while we arrange flowers? We are taught to pass the massage while..."

"...they learn to understand it." I complete her sentence. _Now that makes sense._

"Exactly." she intones as she adds the final touch to the flower arrangement and gives it to me.

I beam at her. It's also the first time I found someone worthy enough of bowing my head to. "It's beautiful, thank you."

Sumire blushes and adverts her eyes. Probably embarrassed. "For nothing." After she recovers, she turns to face me. "Do you want me to explain?"

I nod. "Please do."

* * *

Call it stupidity or lack of sleep or one of my characteristic impulses that ought to earn me an early grave. Regardless of how you name it, I won't argue with you but first let us rewind time a little. Today I woke-up slightly under the weather, probably because of the nightmare I had. It was ugly and terrifying and it shattered any confidence I thought I possessed, because really, _what the fuck am I doing here?_

Everything has been going well up until now but what about later? What do I do when shit hits the fan? To believe a shonen manga would have a peaceful and serene development was wishful thinking at best and a delusion at worst. The Naruto universe had spelled that clearly for its fans: _Don't get comfortable, pain is coming._ No pun intended. Anyway, back to my nightmare. Did I mention just how useless it made me feel? I started doubting my very existence. I almost shook my parents awake and demanded why they had conceived me in the first place. _So, I could fail? So, I could do nothing but watch you and everything in this world crumble?_

That's what the first chapter of the manga hinted at. A dark future. Konoha, in ruins, _again._ In the past, after watching Pain attack the village, I breathed relieved because somehow, The Hokage Mountain was still standing. I told myself that as long as those faces remained, hope would find a way. And I was right. The village was destroyed but its people weren't. Them and Konoha rose from the ashes just like the Phoenix. The Boruto manga though, offered no such comfort. Nothing was left of the legends, nothing but dust. The current Hokage was missing, probably dead while his best friend and long-time rival was not to be found and their female teammate was off healing the injured and counting the dead, hoping she wouldn't have to add any loved one to the list. That's what my nightmare had been about. I also found my parents being reduced to nothing but corpses. I don't care much about the New Generation but Karin and Suigetsu, sane or insane, arguing or getting along, have become my family.

And I refuse to let my family suffer such ugly fate. That applies to Naruto with his trademark grin and to Sasuke with his panther grace and to Sakura with her beautiful resilience. It applies to all of my childhood heroes, period. They deserve more than to die in a sequel and I will be damned before I let that happen.

I needed a strong reminder, a clutch to hold onto for whenever my resolve started to waver. Something other than my memories, something solid, something as real as the rain falling from the sky. Something to think back to should I lose sight of my purpose and let a nightmare fool me into believing the odds won't ever be in my favour.

It was morning and it was early and my parents had yet to wake-up. I did my routine, ate an apple, and left the house as quietly and with as little fuss as possible. My feet took me to the Memorial Stone and if I cried, well it's hard to tell because rain did its job and hid it well. The monument looked as if it was made of obsidian, but it could be any other material for all I know. I sat there, staring at hundreds of names. By the end of it, I was soaked from head to toe, my head hurt and I was emotionally drained. Even so, I placed one of my hands on the Memorial and vowed. "Never again."

 _Never again shall Konoha suffer such losses._

Suffice to say I almost had a heart attack when I turned around only to find Kakashi studying me with the most bewildered expression I had seen crease the face of...well, anyone. He masked it quickly though.

So, here I am, face to face with The Copy Ninja himself. Half of me wants to bolt in the opposite direction. I dig a nail into the palm of my hand, hoping my scattered brain cells gather together well enough to form a full, preferably coherent sentence.

"You shouldn't be out here in the rain." he tells me, kneeling to my eye-level. To my relief, he doesn't ask me what am I doing visiting dead people, people that an eight-year-old such as myself couldn't have possibly known.

"Neither should you."

I don't know what mystical force compelled me to answer back but it's clear I have a death wish. I'm dumbfounded when one of Kakashi's eyes crinkles in amusement (maybe? I hope?)

 _Gah, who knows? The man is a walking enigma and behaves accordingly._

"I came to visit some friends. What's your excuse?"

 _The give and take approach, huh?_

"I had a nightmare."

He hums noncommittally. "Aa. Understandable." and doesn't say anything more after that.

For some reason, I feel obliged to explain. Just partially. "I came here to remember nightmares don't have the power of coming true unless you give it to them. That's what kaa-san tells me anyway." _Half-truths. Don't look him in the eye._

My voice trembles, however and I hope Kakashi blames the cold. Granted how perceptive he is, I doubt it.

"That's good advice." he pauses "Didn't she also tell you that you shouldn't talk to strangers?"

 _Fair enough._

"A Memorial Stone is not a place that children usually visit. At least, not during such a bad weather." I wrap my hands around myself, trying to suppress a shiver. "Besides, you are a ninja. Possibly a jonin. If you wanted to kill me, I'd be dead already."

If it's approval I get a glimpse of, it's gone before I can enjoy it. Kakashi puts a hand on my shoulder. "Calling somebody's bluff is a risky move."

"Our whole life is a constant risk." I retort.

"Point taken." he narrows his eye at me then he lets go of my shoulder and we part ways. The thought of explaining to Suigetsu and Karin why I snuck out of the house in pouring rain makes me want to take a detour, see what legend I meet next. Instead of doing that, I keep trudging forward. Brooding ninjas can wait for another day... _or several._ I think as I sneeze twice.


End file.
